SOC 11-9121

Natural Sciences Managers Salary in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + NC
COL Index: 99.38 (-0.6% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 67.3% Realized
$109,453 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $162,690 $78.22/hr
Effective Tax Drag 26.72% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 24% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$43,476 $1,672.15/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $78.22 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$9,761/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$2,343/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$25,437
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$10,087
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$2,359
North Carolina Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$5,593
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$109,453 ($4,209.72 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Natural Sciences Managers Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $162,690
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $76.8k 25th $110k Median: $162,690 50th (Median) $163k 75th $185k 90th $264k You: $162,690
10th (Entry) $76,770 $36.91/hr
25th (Junior) $110,140 $52.95/hr
50th (Median) $162,690 $78.22/hr
75th (Senior) $185,110 $89.00/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $264,020 $126.93/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Natural Sciences Managers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
1
Research ScientistBachelor's degree (most common O*NET requirement); entry into the field
$77,541$37.28/hr · 2-5 Years
2
Senior ScientistDemonstrated results in role; works independently on core responsibilities
$116,165$55.85/hr · 5-9 Years
3
Natural Sciences ManagerFull professional competence; leads projects or a small team
$162,671$78.21/hr · 9-14 Years
4
Director of ResearchOwns budget, hiring and outcomes for a department or large program
$215,500$103.61/hr · 14-20 Years
5
VP of R&D / Chief ScientistExecutive or principal scope; sets strategy across the organization or profession
$308,218$148.18/hr · 20+ Years
Scaled to the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC medianView National Natural Sciences Managers Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Project Management Specialists-$64,900/yr
National median: $102,320
Skill overlap: 77%View Salary
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers-$57,850/yr
National median: $109,370
Skill overlap: 77%
Biological Technicians-$109,710/yr
National median: $57,510
Skill overlap: 63%
Data Scientists-$46,990/yr
National median: $120,230
Skill overlap: 62%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
11% of Net Income
✓ Passes 30% Housing Affordability Standard
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $965/month Requires minimum annual gross of $38,600
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,147/month Requires minimum annual gross of $45,880
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $21.98/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $18.64/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$162,690-$43,476$109,453$4,209.72
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$193,194-$53,296$128,307$4,934.87
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$223,699-$61,978$148,299$5,703.81
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$254,203-$72,406$166,544$6,405.56
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$284,708-$83,443$184,182$7,083.92
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Natural Sciences Managers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and North Carolina tax codes.

Market Baseline
$162,690/yr
$78.22/hr · SOC 11-9121
Statutory Tax Drag
26.72% Effective
-$43,476 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
11% Net Pay
✓ Passes 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$8,156/mo
Post-$965/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 11-9121
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Natural Sciences Managers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC: Market Snapshot

Natural Sciences Managers roles in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC report a median annual wage of $162,690, 2.7% below the national median of $167,220. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $76,770 to $264,020, and HUD’s $965 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 7.1% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $21.98 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Natural Sciences Managers

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$291,000+78.9%
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$263,810+62.2%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$225,230+38.4%
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR$220,120+35.3%
Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT$217,480+33.7%
Kennewick-Richland, WA$215,860+32.7%
Worcester, MA$212,600+30.7%
Midland, MI$212,130+30.4%
New Haven, CT$210,670+29.5%
Boulder, CO$210,340+29.3%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$312,730$150.35/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$170,730$82.08/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$163,010$78.37/hr
Marketing Managers$151,190$72.69/hr
Financial Manager$138,150$66.42/hr
Purchasing Managers$132,570$63.74/hr
Sales Managers$132,060$63.49/hr
Physician Assistant$127,210$61.16/hr
Nurse Practitioner$126,620$60.88/hr
Industrial Production Managers$124,290$59.75/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 210 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Natural Sciences Managers Salary in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Overview

Natural Sciences Managers median pay in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is $162,690 a year ($78.22/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles. Official 2026 economic data for Natural Sciences Managers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Natural Sciences Managers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?

The median annual wage is $162,690 ($78.22 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $76,770 and $264,020. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Natural Sciences Managers in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC after taxes?

On the median wage of $162,690, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $116,482 a year ($9,707 a month) after $46,208 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 28.4%, using 2026 tax rules.